IRVINE, Calif. – Saint Mary's Men's Soccer earned a draw in their first road match of the season, preserving the shutout against a UC Irvine team receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll.
 
SMC (3-1-2) initially had a lead in shots through the first 40 minutes of action. But the Anteaters (3-1-2) got four shots off in the last five minutes. Keeper Jack Landreth and the Gaels defense stayed stout however, and stopped some dangerous attacks to end the half and to start the second.
 
A flurry of early second-half shots by the Anteaters from the 56th to 58th minute, started with a big save from Landreth, finished with kick save by the Washington native to clear it, and had blocks in between from Luke Lawrence, Louis Sterobo, and Timothy Stephens
 
The Gaels put on their own barrage of shots after that, with one in 76th minute by Tyler Hardin eating up the UC Irvine keeper and making him stumble, but without other Gaels around he was able to hang on and keep Saint Mary's off the board.
 
Hardin and Sterobo each drew yellows in 78th minute, the second and third cards of the night for SMC in a game that was very physical in the WCC-Mountain West match up of Northern and Southern Californian foes.
 
The Anteaters would have one more set of rapid-fire shots in the 88th minute, but Landreth made back-to-back saves, punching out a left-footed shot at the top of the box, and corralling a header on the rebound from the penalty dot to preserve the shutout.
 
It was one of Landreth's best performances as a Gael, as the junior collected his third clean sheet at Saint Mary's by making five critical saves.
 
UP NEXT:
The Gaels will play their second of four-straight road matches, but will stay in Northern California as they take on Sacramento State on Thursday, September 14 at 4:00 p.m.